Birth of a New Era
by Kaze no Takuto
Summary: In a moment over a decade in the making, Tetra is mere hours away from giving birth to her first child with Link, and, with all of their friends and family present to celebrate the occasion, they all have the chance to share just what the moment means to them all.


A/N: Here it finally is after promising my readers and myself too many times that I would get it done. After so many writings about Link and Tetra's most intimate moments, I had no choice but to eventually do a story like this. Nothing explicit here, but it's still a fairly adult take on the subject and haven't seen it done quite like this. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Enjoy.

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Back and forth, back and forth. As a close-knit group of friends and family looked by from a nearby field, the Hero of Winds, Link, made his nerve-wracked way around the deck of the ship that the crew had ceded for the hero to have all to himself in this tense moment.

"Is she coming back yet?" he looked off into the immediate horizon.

A ship, the sea, and the shore. All in all, this was still the most familiar backdrop there was for the hero, yet it had never felt anywhere near anything like this to him in his life. He had set up a few chairs just for this occasion but was having extreme difficulty getting himself to make use of any of them. If anything, they only served as markers for him to guide his laps around the vessel. His other shipmates had continued to observe this uncomfortable display from a safe distance until the smallest among them who finally decided he couldn't handle it anymore and walked back to the shore to talk some sense into him.

"Alright, sorry man, but I decided that I couldn't keep watching you do this to yourself," the pirate pulled himself up the side of the deck.

"Niko..." Link acknowledged the pirate's presence.

"It's time to chill out and sit down for a few minutes," the swabbie stilled his movement by placing both hands on his shoulders.

Link heeded the advice of his friend and comrade, but, even when taking a seat to still his nerves, he instead began to fidget with his own hands.

"I need to ask how you're holding up because it's not looking too good," Niko pulled up a chair next to him.

"Me? Perfectly fine," Link raised his hand, "It's thinking about what you-know-who will be doing soon that has me looking a bit anxious."

"I see..." the diminutive swabbie took his seat besides his crewmate and friend as there was plenty of anxiety to go around, "Trust me. You're not the only one."

"Hey, it's not like it's your kid."

"It really might as well be," Niko rebutted, "We've spent more time with Miss Tetra than any woman in our lives and have known this day is coming for too long. It's just as surreal to us to think that it's actually now here. Plus, with the whole princess thing, it's really a bigger deal than we ever would have guessed back in the day."

"To be honest, I kind of forgot about the royalty thing until you brought it up. Yeah, that really is kind of important. I should've been thinking more about it," Link rubbed a hand through his ruffled hair.

"The fact that you weren't is precisely why she and all of us know you were the right man to father this kid," the pirate confirmed.

""Well, even if this is a royal baby. I'm thankful to do this in a more secluded manner without needless distractions," Link noted, "So have you guys seen any sign of her out there?"

"Nope, but we all know she'll be back. She wouldn't dream of having you miss this."

"Yeah..." Link let his head hang in thought and exhaustion.

Not too far away, the woman on all of their tongues and minds held out her arms as she awaited her grand moment. Not a cloud could be spotted in the pristine blue sky, and the resulting view of the sun shining down on the trees was breathtaking. Its heat felt absolutely wonderful on her skin. Even the air had an unusually pleasing aroma to it. Tetra yearned to imprint as much of it all as she possibly could into her mind with each step she took. She had even forgone any type of footwear to be able to feel the lush grass between her toes. In a way she felt as though she was standing alone at the very center of the world itself, even if Aryll was lagging a careful distance behind.

"You don't have to go so fast, Miss Tetra," Aryll was awed by her speed.

"It'll be fine. I've kept myself in good shape," Tetra announced before a tensing in her abdomen advised her to take a seat on a nearby stone.

"Are you feeling alright?" Aryll inquired.

"Another contraction," Tetra admitted.

"You must be really close by now."

"Yes, but I'm cherishing the short time that I do have left."

"May I see it?"

"But of course."

Dressed in a white gown and nothing else in anticipation of an imminent delivery, Tetra raised her dress to expose her fully grown baby bump to the entire world, almost perfectly tan and round as the earth itself. In an endeavor that started as one measuring in weeks and months, she was now down to days and hours. Her body had at last gone into labor the child she had conceived with Link was due to be born at quite possibly any moment. All of their family and friends had gathered to bear witness to this monumental event in all of their lives as she was now making the final physical and mental preparations to bring their baby into the world. She wanted the process to feel as natural as possible and had gone on a short walk to prepare her body with Aryll tagging along in case she would be needed for impromptu assistance. Of course, the aunt-in-waiting was just as happy to spend some time with the mother of her family's newest member.

"Gorgeous..." Aryll dropped to her knees next to her.

"Thanks," Tetra accepted the compliment.

"This popped out belly button is just the absolute cutest," she inspected Tetra's belly very carefully.

"Um... thanks," Tetra uneasily accepted what she still hoped was a compliment as Aryll poked at the protruding navel in question.

""I can't believe you've gotten this large without a single unsightly mark. Are you sure you're not carrying twins at this size? I'd love that sooo much," the future aunt was unaware of just how thin the ice she was on the verge of treading was.

"No, I'm sure it's just one," Tetra suppressed the instinct to give a rude answer as her in-law traced the outer surface of the bump with her wandering finger.

"That's still fine but now look at your skin too," Aryll then added a palm to begin rubbing her abdomen, "It's so shiny, smooth and firm. You've got the motherly glow completely nailed. If I have a baby, you've got to let me in on your beauty secrets."

"Sun and exercise," Tetra offered the only advice she could really think of as they bother notice some sudden nudges coming from Tetra's stomach.

"Somebody wants to play," Aryll almost sung in delight.

Placing an ear on Tetra's stomach, Link's sister took in the child's heart now beating more strongly than ever. Planting a kiss on her navel in anticipation of their approaching meeting, Aryll sat up to be shoulder to shoulder with the mother in waiting.

"So, how's the little one doing?" Tetra inquired, "They've been getting feisty in there lately."

"Sounds as healthy as any that I have heard," Aryll announced, "This baby's ready for this and I'm certain that so are you."

"Thanks," Tetra straightened out her back, "Honestly, I often find hard to believe myself that I'm ready."

"Why's that?"

"There was a time where just the mention of children would have been a sore subject for me, let alone birthing one like this."

"Like this?" Aryll blinked.

"So... natural," Tetra clarified, "Even if I did end up with a kid, a younger me would've wanted to pop it out with the most minimal amount of effort possible. Instead now, I've spent weeks readying myself to fully tackle the rite of passage that makes girls into women. I decided that I truly wanted to experience this process as nature intended to push my body to its limit, no matter what it requires me to endure, just like my own mother did for me decades ago. I'd give anything for the chance to have her see this."

"Link and I miss our parents too which is why this baby means so much to the two of us. As for your mom, I know she'd be proud. Even I'm amazed at how extremely courageous this is of you, Miss Tetra."

"Courageous..." the pirate chuckled.

"What?" she missed the apparent joke.

"It's the most appropriate word for this that you can imagine. If there were any single reason I would feel compelled to do this, it would have to be the mere fact this this is his baby I'm carrying."

"Ooooh," the sister of the man in question understood.

"That brother of yours really changed me for keeps," Tetra opened up, "I never dreamed I would be able to just let anyone know how I feel without a care in the world. I had resigned to a life of watching from afar as a silent protector, but he forced me to face my fears of speaking my feelings."

"That's who my big brother is," Aryll boasted, "I don't care what any weird legends said, that's what makes him a Hero, not any kind of fancy sword or triangle."

"Definitely, and now, unlike I ever have before, I'm going to be opening for him as much as any woman physically can. Everything that I am will be laid bare as he sets his eyes on me bringing the child, I know he wants more than anything into the world."

"Your way with words is wondrous and that sentiment is beyond beautiful, Miss Tetra, but you do know what the word "_everything"_ means in this situation, right?"

"Yes, don't you remember that we studied labor and delivery together just for this?"

"Absolutely, and it's why I worry that he may be too squeamish for such a thing" Aryll recalled the gruesome images that were involved in the lesson.

"You wouldn't think he's squeamish if you had seen what he did to Ganondorf," Tetra motioned to her forehead.

"He's more sensitive with his friends and family. You should've seen how he reacted to a particularly bad cut I once got."

"Oh, I guess I can envision that," Tetra chuckled before sensing another contraction, "but I suppose the only way to know is to test it firsthand."

"Is that your way of saying that you're now ready to head back?" Aryll offered a hand.

"It sure looks that way, doesn't it?" Tetra was pulled up by her sister-in-law, "The kid finally seems to be running out of patience."

The unborn child was not the only one nearing the end of their patience as, back on the ship, Link had managed to keep himself from any more pacing but still continued to incessantly twiddle his thumbs in his lap.

"Hey, man," Niko spoke up to lighten the mood, "You know we're all proud of you, right?"

"Hmm?" Link shot him a look.

"Well, you had your part in making this happen too, right?" the swabbie reminded him, "A very, shall we say, noisy part."

"Oh!" his face flushed with red, "So you guys really could hear us. It often seemed impossible that you couldn't though it always seemed odd to me you never commented on it if you could."

"If you were somehow really making the captain moan like that, we saw no reason to mess it up."

"Yeah, thanks..."

"All jokes aside, we always knew that if Miss Tetra was ever going to become a wife and mother one day, it would be from someone outside of the crew. We've always been grateful that you were the one who showed up."

"I'm just as glad to have met you all. It's been fun."

"It sure has," the two finally heard some familiar voices in the distance.

Immediately emptying his mind of all other concerns, Link shot right back to his feet when he heard the sound of someone climbing onto the deck nearby. Not just him, but all who were in the area stood at attention for the return of the woman of the hour.

"I'm glad to see you didn't jump into the ocean waiting for me," Tetra made her way up with a final helpful push from Aryll below.

"I did my best to prevent it, Captain," Niko took his leave at the wave of her hand.

"How are you feeling, Tetra?" her husband stood to face her.

"Not too bad, all things considered," she replied, "On the other hand, you look about as well as I was expecting."

"I'm all over the place," he confessed, "Never has such excitement accompanied such nervousness for me."

"You're looking kind of sweaty though. Care to join me for one last dip in the water to ease my body for our big moment?"

"I'd love too," he helped take her down to the beach where the others had been waiting but now made their own way up to the ship so as to give the expecting couple one last moment alone as a family of two.

With the sea to themselves and little time to spare, the two stripped down to nothing and left their clothing on the sandy shore. Tetra took the initiative of wading into the sea until the water reached up to her thighs, with Link close behind her. Having her muscles submerged in the tide proved to be exactly what she needed to ease the nerves still wildly fearing and anticipating what was to come. Meanwhile, for the hero who remained by her side as always when she needed him, her full array of expecting curves reflecting off the surface of the ocean were stunning. Running his hands along them in the months leading up to this point was something he had enjoyed more than he could let her know, and in this final lead in to what they had both been waiting so long for, she had never looked fuller, riper, or more tempting to him than now.

"Ahhhh, that's what I needed," Tetra felt her body gently rocked by the waves.

"Gods, you're so beautiful," Link couldn't help sighing loudly beside her.

"You still think so?" she turned to him, cradling her bare bump, "I think I'll be looking a lot better pretty soon."

"I'm sure you feel that way, but, in some ways, you've simply never looked better."

"You're only obligated to say so since you are the one who did it to me."

"I'd never dream of apologizing for it, but I've been more than glad to make you as comfortable as possible," he lowered himself to be at eye level with her stomach, "I'm going to miss cuddling and rubbing my hands around this belly, but I know what's inside is going to be even better."

With a heartfelt smile from each to the other, Link began one final session of nuzzling his cheeks and nose against her rotund abdomen. With no clothing on between either of them, Tetra could really appreciate how his lean, sturdy frame now embraced and cherished her currently nurturing, motherly one. Not even his exposed loins couldn't sneak their usual dirty thoughts into her mind, instead only leaving her amazed to ponder exactly where and how the little life she was carrying now had begun its journey and how far it had come to what she could feel ready to spring forth into the world now. Link planted an ear on her stomach to take a listen for both of their heartbeats and began to whisper sweet nothings directly into her navel. The child never failed to give its father its full attention, and at this critical time, the waiting infant must have really heard something incredible from him as it immediately let its mother know that time was up.

"Oooh, wow," Tetra suddenly recoiled, "I don't know what you said, but this kid took it to mean that it's finally time to meet Daddy."

"Not until Mommy finally gets to give them a kiss," Link eagerly assisted Tetra out of the water.

In this pivotal moment, he wasn't ready to let her lift so much as a finger. Link got both of them redressed as quickly as he could and carried her back up to the ship with her held firmly in his arms. Quickly taking her inside, the waiting crew offered all of the best well wishes they had prepared until Link reached the entrance of Tetra's cabin, where she had decided long ago that all of this would be taking place. Her bed was already prepared inside where Link's sister, Aryll and the Rito, Medli awaited their arrival.

"Easy now, Easy now," Link lowered his wife to the floor.

"Relax, I can still stand on my own," Tetra got back on her feet.

Giving her back and shoulders one final stretch, Tetra at last settled into her bed with Aryll's help and Link at her side. While she thought she had finally managed to calm Link down before, his expression was now more frazzled than ever

"Hey, what in the world is up with you?" she turned her to look at him, "Did something get switched here? You look like you're the one about to have a baby."

"I can't say that there isn't a part of me that feels like it. My stomach is all tangled up in knots," he squirmed.

"Hey, for you that feeling is only figurative. For me it's going to be quite literal." Tetra cringed under the tension of an early contraction.

This sent Link's nerves visually scrambling as his eyes darted around for whatever it was he thought he should be doing now, but Tetra managed to turn the wince into a wink to try to keep him from overreacting.

"Why does this have to be so painful for you? It doesn't seem fair," he lamented, "Aren't you scared?"

"This is how I want it," she gazed at the ceiling, "This is my test and rite of passage. I can only bear your child if I can also bear your pain."

"My pain?"

"That you went through to get to this day, this moment," Tetra reminisced, "Without those beatings you took I'd still be locked up in Ganon's Tower or stuck as a stone statue."

"Regardless of any personal feelings, it was my duty and simply the right thing to do."

"Well, there's been a lot more of doing the right thing in your life than mine."

"Don't say that, Tetra."

"I was a marauder and a thief, Link," she sternly reminded him, "Don't try to whitewash my story."

"But now you're..." he paused to search for the best word to insert.

He hesitated not out of fear or confusion but under the weight of all the answers he wanted to give ranging from friend to leader to lover to family.

"Yes, I'm a lot of things," she read his mind, "but you're the one who can be called a hero that made it all possible. You've allowed me to share in such wonderful experiences over the years. It's only fair that I share in some of the hurt you've taken on as well."

"You've never truly hurt me in any way, Tetra. Those burdens are mine alone. Even if you want to take this pain onto yourself, I will feel every bit of it in my spirit."

Link took Tetra's hand into his as she went through another mild contraction, squeezing it tighter in perfect synchronization with the sensations spiking and easing into her abdomen. Noticing what was going on from outside in the nearby airspace, Medli made her entrance, having traveled to act as a midwife for Tetra.

"Hello, how are you two doing today?" the Rito politely greeted them.

"Fine, more than fine honestly," Tetra put on her biggest smile for both Medli and Link, "We're really excited for this."

"Happy to hear it, truly," Medli bowed, "I thank you for bestowing this honor upon me."

"I figured the nastier parts of this stuff would be easier with a Rito than a human stranger," Tetra shrugged it off.

"And I studied hard for it," Medli folded her hands together, "Are you ready for me to check up on how you're coming along?"

"Go for it," Tetra put up her legs to assume her first fully proper position for delivery.

Medli went under the covers to inspect Tetra's womanly areas for the distinct signs of imminent childbirth. Link seemed to remain uneasy as Tetra reacted to certain pokes and prods that the Rito was making, but this worry on his face bothered Tetra more than any physical sensations she was feeling.

"Will you stop that?" she scolded him, "This is going to be one of the happiest days of our lives. Don't ruin it for yourself."

"Okay," he rigidly composed himself, "I'll try for real this time."

"It means a lot to me to do it here, in this way, with these people," Tetra reflected aloud, "We're here in my cabin which has actually become tradition in my family to give birth, but the thing is those were always done on the open ocean to symbolize our lack of a true home. However, now we're also here on this newly discovered shore for this child to forever know as the land of their birth. On top of that, not only is my crew here but your own family as well."

"They're your family too now," Link flashed his wedding ring at her.

"Of course, of course," she nodded, "But, most of all, I'm happy to be doing this own my own terms. I can only imagine how it was in the days of the old Princess Zeldas. An entire castle deciding who you can consort with and watching you like a hawk during your pregnancy and planning even this moment down to the last detail. They're be telling me exactly what to do and how to do it, claiming it's for my comfort when it's really for control."

"Come on, Tetra. I don't think the King would be any less sincere in his love for you than my Grandma is for me."

"Yes, but those noble types would never understand the dignity of a woman in this."

"I doubt that I would either."

"You do, in your own way. Even through all of your worrying when I decided to do this naturally, you never tried to talk me out of it. You get it deep down."

"I know it can get rough. I wish there was another way."

"But you know that there isn't. I have to do this. Any sense of pride I have in myself is on the line here," it was Tetra's turn to take his hand into hers, "This may hurt like hell, but I'll get through it knowing that I'm hurting for the sake of you and our baby."

"Speaking of which, I dare say that your body is just about ready," Medli withdrew and interjected, "Your cervix has dilated almost as much as it needs to. I would guess that the need to push will start coming to you soon."

"Okay, Link..." Tetra gritted her teeth as a fresh labor pain hit her body.

Link placed a supportive hand on her back as Aryll placed one of her own on his.

"Remember that there's no shame if you feel the need to look away," his sister reassured him, "None of us will think any less of you for it."

"I've heard your horror stories already, and I promise that I've readied myself for them," the hero steeled his nerves.

With years' worth of preparations complete at long last, all attention went to the task at hand. Medli was timely and concise in her instructions as Aryll was flawless in her execution of any needed assistance. On the other hand, Link quickly found his role as a stress toy for Tetra the hand he had placed in hers would take the backlash of each jolt of pain that would hit with every contraction and push.

"Okay, maybe I was bluffing a bit back there," Tetra grunted, "Surely fighting Ganondorf didn't hurt this much.

"Relax, you're doing just fine," Medli encouraged her.

"What do you think, Link?" Tetra glanced out of the corner of her ever to see his expression unwavering even has she gripped his hand hard enough to make it change colors.

His staunch support triggered the surge of feminine pride needed to swallow any further complaints as the procedure intensified. The pushes made became steadier and more constant as every ounce of strength borne from a life of battle and adventure found itself put to use. When she reached the point where she couldn't conceal the strain on her face, Link took it upon himself to be the stabilizing influence.

"I'd do anything I could to take on what you must be feeling now for myself, but that doesn't mean I have a shred of doubt in your ability to handle this!" he didn't let an ounce of discomfort under his voice no matter what she did to his arm.

"You'd better believe it! I know a softie like you couldn't take this kind of abuse, but I'm all over it! You'd better appreciate what I'm going through for you!"

"I do! I do! Now, push, push!" he cheered her on.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do!" she snapped back at him in a way he couldn't help but chuckle at, even in the current situation.

Fortunately, Tetra proved to be far more receptive to Medli's commands though as the home stretch arrived. The calls to push grew more and more frequent until Aryll finally shouted something they really wanted to hear.

"I can see the head!" the aunt-to-be announced.

"Our baby's almost here!" Link already wanted to cry, "Come on, Tetra. You can do it!"

"The head's out now!" Medli chimed in, "Just a little more!"

With a roar befitting of the self-proclaimed queen of the seas, Tetra offered up the last of strength to all who had waited for this day, none moreso than the eager father beside her. In what felt like a flash, Tetra felt all of her energy pour out of her womanhood only to have a lump of arms and legs held up and pushed into her chest.

"Congratulations you two," Medli offered a baby wrapped in a blanket, "It's a girl."

"Awww, look at my darling little niece," Aryll couldn't hold back a squeal.

"And she already has her mother's eyes'" Link proudly observed the piercing blue eyes the mother and child shared, remaining restrained in his immediate reactions to ensure Tetra got the most out of the moment she could."

"Is this it..." the fog around her mind slowly cleared itself, "Is this my baby, our baby?..."

"Yes, she's as beautiful as you," Link warmly cooed.

She didn't know if it was just the result of her exhaustion, but Tetra's first response was one far outside of any she had ever expected of herself. All she could think to do was to pull the lightly waiting child up to her cheek to nuzzle against without hardly a word, only tears of joy beginning to run from her eyes to replace the ones from her all but forgotten pain. Link didn't want to interrupt but instead put an arm around her shoulder until she was finally ready to talk.

"So, it's a girl, huh?" Tetra weakly murmured, "I figured as much."

"I know you would have liked a boy to raise to be tough like you, but at least you can use that name you wanted," the new father noted.

"Yeah..." she sighed, "The names of Zelda and Hyrule will live on in memory of the king who gave his life for use, but her middle name will still let her have some individuality and it will be one to honor something even greater than a now sunken kingdom.

"I couldn't agree more," he nodded, "It's a name that I know means more to you than anything and one I swear to raise her to be worthy of."

"Rosalind, just like her grandmother, my mom," Tetra declared, "Zelda Rosalind Hyrule."

"I've never heard a name more perfect in my life," Link finally went in for his first full family hug, quickly inviting Aryll to join after a few seconds on his own.

It was unlike any treasure she had ever found or any victory he had ever claimed. Even through his battles with Ganon and Bellum, it was sometimes hard to tell what it truly was that they were after, but Link immediately knew here that this was precisely what he had taken all those hits to protect and achieve. As for Tetra, it was also often unclear exactly where her travels would need to lead her for her to also feel ready to stop, but now it was as if all of time had stopped for her. Everything she had been searching for was all around her and in her arms.

"Thank you, Link," the last of her energy left her for a well-deserved rest. "For everything..."

"You're welcome for all of it, Tetra," he happily watched her doze off, "All of it."

Link couldn't begin to list off all the things he was currently feeling grateful to her for, but he knew the best way to show his appreciation at this time was to let her have the rest she now deserved all too well. As for Tetra, the mind of the new mother was still trying to process all the she had now: A land to call home, the people to call family, the man to call husband, and the child to call her own. All she could have ever wanted in life was now gathered here for her in this moment, and she let herself fall into sleep's soothing embrace knowing for certain that this peace would never leave her as long as she had them at her side.

-The End-

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A/N: Don't read to much into the name I came up with for Tetra's baby/mother. It has no special meaning. Otherwise, I've been asked to do pregnant lovemaking before, but I've declined because my eye for detail on the subject would probably caused it to end up being kind of gross, but I still have a great appreciation for the beauty of the pregnant figure and I hope I got it across here. Thanks for reading.


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